Symbolism Essay The Scarlet Letter - 1087 Words

Paige Davis Mrs. Walker English III 18 November 2015 Symbolism The Scarlet Letter contains plenty of symbolism in itself. Hawthorne has filled every page with deeper meanings and not always a thorough explanation. Almost everything is a metaphor, even the smallest things that anyone could think of. After the Custom-House intro, Hawthorne leaves his readers in a Puritan society, at a door that’s â€Å"heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes† (1.1). Granted, it s a prison door. But the narrator goes on to describe the door as never having known â€Å"a youthful era† (1.2). This door is only 15-20 years old, and it is â€Å"marked with weather-stains and other indications of age† (1.2). The prison represents the harsh life of the Puritans, including everything that is strict and lawful in the society. The prison represents a place of darkness and sin, and right beside the door sits a symbol of the exact opposite. The rose bush next to the door represents an element of grace and forgiveness. Since the prison represents such negativity, the proximity of the rose bush proves itself interesting, because of the contrast it brings. By starting the novel with an ugly door and a beautiful rose bush, Hawthorne proves that the topics of mercy, grace and justice will be extremely relevant in the chapters to come. Pearl is one of the biggest symbols in the book, and she even comes up before the A does. Pearl is just as much of a symbol as a character; she represents the priceShow MoreRelatedSymbolism in The Scarlet Letter Essay1252 Words   |  6 PagesSymbolism can be defined as a figure, character, or object that is used to represent complex or abstract ideas. By expressing an idea in the form of an image, the reader can visualize the concept more concretely. The old expression, â€Å"a picture is worth a thousand words,† applies to symbolism as the author creates a visual representation of ideas. The use of symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter helps to illuminate the overall meaning of the work. At the beginning of the book, theRead MoreScarlet Letter Symbolism Essay1036 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism is a commonly used literary device that uses symbols to represent ideas with greater meanings. It is something that several authors take the opportunity to use when they can. Using symbolism helps to give a story depth as well as meaning by helping to piece parts of the plot together. In the Romanticism novel â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism to show the reader different ways punishment was delivered to Hester, along with Dimmesdale, for their sins. In the beginningRead MoreSymbolism in the Scarlet Letter Essay871 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne symbolism is used to represent the evolution of the characters primarily that of Hester Prynne. Two of these symbols as they are used repeatedly create underlying truths telling their own story of growth and understanding as sunshine and the letter A bring to light who Hester Prynne truly is. The first and perhaps the most obvious use of symbolism in the novel follows the progression of meaning of the letter A that Hester is forcedRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter569 Words   |  3 PagesIn The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author presents three symbols that all reinforce the main idea of the novel. The main idea that reoccurred throughout the novel is that people don’t have to let their mistakes or circumstances determine who they are or what they become; it’s all in how one interprets life. Many symbols may seem as just an ordinary character or coincidental object to some readers, but the symbols have a deeper, underlying meaning. Although there are many symbols inRead MoreScarlet Letter Symbolism Essay873 Words   |  4 PagesIn The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main symbol is the title of the book, the scarlet letter.   This symbol is focused on throughout the book and as the plot progresses, the meaning of t he scarlet letter changes. The scarlet letter is not viewed the same by all the characters in the book, however. The view of this symbol by the villagers, Hester, Pearl, and the author are all different, and change throughout the book. Throughout the book, the villagers view of the scarlet letter changedRead MoreScarlet Letter Symbolism Essay982 Words   |  4 PagesThe Significance of Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a gothic satire of the puritan beliefs and value. Nathaniel Hawthorn of a puritan based background wrote various harsh satires such as Young Goodman Brown, and The Scarlet Letter, all based on his ancestral history. Furthermore, in his satires, they all shared a common point in structure and his use of symbolism to develop meaning for his works. With the use of symbolism, Hawthorne is efficientlyRead MoreEssay on Symbolism of the Scaffold in The Scarlet Letter939 Words   |  4 Pages In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, we notice that action only happens in a few places, among which are the forest, the market place, the governor’s residence, and Dimmesdale’s house. Although all these locations are significant to the story, the most important symbol among them is certainly the scaffold in the market place, where the story begins and ends. The scaffold’s meaning changes throughout the stor y and has different values for different characters. It represents humiliationRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter: Symbolism in the Forest Essay examples881 Words   |  4 PagesThe Scarlet Letter: Symbolism in the Forest The path strangled onward into the mystery of the primeval forest(179). This sentence displays just one of the multiple personalities that the forest symbolizes in The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorn. As seen in the epic story Wizard of OZ, the forest represents a place of evil and delight, but in the Scarlet Letter the forest symbolizes much more then that. Each character brings out a different side of the forest, however the forestRead MoreSymbolism in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay681 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism enhances the meaning of even a simple painting. It is when a person looks at the images in the painting and tries to understand why the painter made those images while another person looks at it and just calls it â€Å"dumb† without even trying to understand it. The latter person completely loses faith in the painting and misses the actual point. When people first read The Scarlet Letter, they notice not only the characters, but also the objects, which may be non-living, but carry tons of meaningRead More Symbols and Symbolism in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Essay2336 Words   |  10 PagesOutline Thesis Statement: Nathaniel Hawthorne used symbolism to bring meaning into his book The Scarlet Letter. I. Symbolism A. Definition B. Style II. Symbolism in characters A. Hester B. Dimmesdale C. Chillingworth D. Pearl III. Symbolism in objects A. The scarlet letter B. The scaffold C. The forest D. The brook IV. Symbolic relations between characters and objects A. Characters and the scarlet letter B. Characters and the scaffold C. Pearl and the